Big Y Seeking Local Products for Newest Stores
Big Y has launched a Local Vendor Discovery Tour to find vendors in the surrounding areas of its newest stores in Brookfield, Middletown and Westport, Conn. The regional grocer already collaborates with more than 500 local businesses with 4,000-plus individual local products, which can be found across every department in its stores. These products include soda, artisan bread, chocolate, soap, coffee, honey, meat, fruits and vegetables, baked goods, maple syrup, and kielbasa.
As well as helping with the distribution and delivery of local products, Big Y works with area vendors to guide them to success.
“We’re committed to providing our shoppers with the finest, freshest and most flavorful foods that we can, and in the spirit of community togetherness, we’re proud to partner with others who feel the same way,” noted Mike Cormier, Big Y’s SVP of sales and marketing. “It not only helps keep these small businesses healthy, but it helps us bring the best, highest-quality merchandise to our customers.”
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The grocer contends that buying from local grocers keep the profits in the area and small producers in business, and thus is good for the local economy, as well as being better for the environment, since less travel is involved, meaning that less fossil fuel is used and fewer carbon emissions occur, and smaller local farms are much more likely to employ sustainable growing methods.
Those interested in becoming Big Y local vendors can fill out an online form.
Springfield, Mass.-based Big Y Foods is one of the largest independently owned supermarket chains in New England. It operates more than 80 locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut, including supermarkets, Table & Vine Fine Wines and Liquors, and Big Y Express gas and convenience locations, with almost 12,000 employees. The company is No. 72 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of North America’s top retailers of food and consumables.
